Tag Archives: passion

When I ask for something and I don’t get what I need, I change my approach and keep changing until I get the desired outcome.

We really need the support of our fans to drive this project forward.

We have an opportunity in eight weeks time to show just how popular Spellsinger is to the world, when Alan Dean Foster and I do a presentation at The Gold Coast Film Festival.

Two Weeks ago I posted the following:

“This is a terrific opportunity for us to promote the film to potential fans and investors and it would be amazingly cool to have something from the legions of fans to show their support on the big screen, so we are asking you to send it a video starring yourselves or holding a placard in your furry suit saying what Spellsinger means to you and why . It can be a wav file, done on a mobile, anyway you can!!!

Despite offering a prize there has not been a response. Not a cracker. Not one of the 500+ people out there following the FB Page and the Twitter account and the blog took action. Not a solitary fun loving furry in sight!

I have to ask myself: Why?

We must have done something completely wrong to not get one single response.

Variants of the Muppets have been on Television since 1955 when Jim Henson created Sam and Friends.

The Muppets moved into guest stars on The Jimmy Dean Show, Saturday Night Live and The Johnny Carson Show, before Jim Henson got Lord Lew Grade to commit to THE MUPPET SHOW.

From 1976-1981, the Muppets ruled television and have been a part of my life since childhood.

Then came the movies. The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, Muppets take Manhattan. The world knew who the Muppets were.

Kids loved the Muppets.

Henson moved on. He had other worlds to make and other achievements to pursue.

Other than The Muppets celebration of 30 years (1986) The Muppet Family Christmas (1987) and The Muppets at Walt Disney World (1990) , a few video shorts and the Cartoon Muppet Babies (1984-1991).

That was all the world had to remember the franchise other than lots of repeats and videos.

After Jim Henson passed away, there was a revival of the franchise

A Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Muppet Break Out (1993)

Muppet Classic Theatre (1994)

It’s not easy being green (1994)

Muppet Treasure Island (1996)

Muppets Tonight (1997-1998)

Muppets from Space (1999)

The Muppets were bought for $680m in 2000 by the German media company EM.TV

EM TV sold them back to Henson’s family for $89m in 2003.

These were produced during this time.

Kermit’s Swamp Years (2002)

It’s a very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)

The Walt Disney Company bought The Muppets in 2004. Under Disney there has been:

The Muppets Wizard of Oz (2005)

Statler and Waldorf from the Balcony (2005)

A Muppets Christmas letters to Santa 2008

After four long years, The Muppets came back in a movie simply titled “The Muppets”.

At first I was a little skeptical. The storyline sounded a lot like “It’s a very Merry Muppet Christmas movie”, which I must say was terrible. It was worse than terrible it was without soul. It was a nasty little movie

But nevertheless I was curious. This time there have been viral campaigns being muppet videos like Bohemian rhapsody since 2009, which have been crazy and designed to create awareness to the adult audience, a reminder that the Muppets had not left the building and to attract the same crowd that they did on Sam and Friends all those years ago.

When we went to the cinema yesterday, I saw giant muppets in vending machines and muppet movie deals with drink holders and Kermit keychain clips. All sold out. We kept the popcorn holder…

As the lights went down we saw that there were lots of children in the audience and secretly hoped that a new generation would be interested in the muppets.

The movie was perfect. It was very cleverly designed.

The Muppets are a faded old brand. They knew it and pointed this out a lot in the film visually (Dilapidated theatre, characters separated for years, dissention, and a chart from a TV network showing how off the chart they were in terms of relevance/pop culture)

However what separates this old brand from others is their message. The Muppets brand message is strong. Family, Hope, Togetherness, Friendship.

Then finally the Muppets were being Muppets and their unique craziness and violence reigned supreme from the Swedish Chef to Gonzo and Marvin and the Muppetones. There were many scenes paying homage to The Muppet Movie including Rainbow Connection and even Sweetums at the same used car lot!

There were lots of songs including a flock of Chickens singing Forget You (Cee Lo)

Having Stars on the Muppets and brand association is a part of their original success

Kids loved it.

This movie was a lot stronger than anything the Muppets have done since Muppets from Space. It has brought the brand back into the public eye.

The reason that I have taken the time to write this is that we are facing a similar challenge with Spellsinger. And the Muppet case study gave us quite a valuable insight into rebranding and reconnecting with our audience.

“According to French newspaper L’Express, burger chain Quick will promote the 3D release of “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” by way of a commemoration fit for Jabba the Hutt: with character-themed, double-decker burgers.

The ad campaign, wielding the slogan “choisis ton côté de la Force” (choose your side of the force), will begin on January 31 and end on March 5.

Much like the Galactic Senate itself, Quick seeks to broker peaceful compromise by offering three galactic-themed sandwiches for Chewies everywhere: the Dark Burger, the Jedi Burger and the Dark Vador Burger (whose spelling was seemingly lost in translation).

For those drawn to the “quicker, easier, more seductive” lure of the Dark Side, the Dark Vador [sic] Burger sports a fittingly black-hued bun.

If the Jedi burger is your chosen one, the bun unfortunately lacks a Yoda-esque green dye job. And for those feeling more Sith-like, there’s the Dark Burger fashioned for Darth Maul – because nothing says evil like a sprinkling of poppy seeds.”

Seeing this new agreement between French fast Food company Quick and the Star Wars Franchise for the 3d release of return of the Jedi, I began to think about Fast food and Spellsinger movie. Who will we align with?

How far will we let the food kings take their creativity?

A Double Mudge Burger, Clothahump shake and a side of Pog fries?

That just doesn’t sound right.

A Free plastic cup with every order? (Collect all 12)

I know that it happens all the time and I know that there are food stores that are in the toy making business. I have also read about the misery of the factory workers in the third world that work tirelessly to churn out this stuff.

I know that brand alignment is big business and does help with spreading the success of your film but it is almost like selling your soul and then there is the environmental impact of such decisions.

25 minutes of fame and 24 ovals of plastic rubbish?

It just does not feel right to me.

You might think I’m crazy but this series is more important to me than anything and there are more opportunities out there for the true fans than fast food outlets

If we were going to align with a restaurant chain it would have to meet our branding and not be tacky. It would have to compliment the movie and provide a true experience for the fans to enjoy and remember and be more than plastic cups and gimmick food!

The first truly inspiring phrase that ever struck me in life came not from a politician, a famous figure of history or an athlete.

The words were uttered by a wise science fiction character called Yoda on Empire Strikes Back.

Do or do not. There is no try.

These words gave me confidence and have given me confidence my entire life.

So I’m not usually the nervous type. Granted there are people who get jittery at the drop of a hat before an interview or if they think they’re being followed or they worry and worry and become nervous wrecks about something they believe they cannot fix or achieve.

I have not worried like that since the last time I sat university entrance exams. And I only worried because I knew that I had misplaced my priorities and that now I was going to pay for my lack of foresight.

I barely improved my score from the previous attempt.

But I did get into university. I found a way. You see while my academic scores may not have been the highest; I had 2 things going in my favor.

I was determined to go to university and I would do anything I could to get there.

I was a fine actor and had starred in a lead role that year in the local Theatre circuit. You didn’t need a tertiary score for acting, you only needed ability.

So I auditioned.

I went to one local university and failed to impress.

I went all the way to Toowoomba and still failed to impress.

Then I found out about James Cook University. I rang and discovered that they had already been down to Brisbane that week. So I asked if I could send a video audition and they accepted my proposal.

I worked out my pieces, hired a camera and got a good friend to film me.

I got in.

I’m not sure whether it was based on my talent or my appearance (As I later discovered was the reason I got the lead role at the Theatre) or whether it was my passionate enthusiasm and drive. I would like to think it were all reasons.

Most importantly, in the end I achieved my goal. I did this through knowing exactly what I wanted, changing my approach and being determined.

These three skills coupled with my unbridled enthusiasm are really going to help us to get SPELLSINGER up.